Draft rigging



June 8 1926.

'l. O. WRIGHT DRAFT RI GG I NG 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed March 50 1922 I I I I I l June 8 1926. 1,587,812

ly .0. WR|GHT DRAFT RIGGING Filed March 5o, 41922 ashets-sheet 2 June 8 1926.

l. O. WRIGHT DRAFT RIGGING Filed March '-30, 1922 '3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lill 44 45 45 lwoewboz Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED ySTATES PATENT OFFICE.

IBA O. WRIGHT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SYMINGTON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

DRAFT y mesme.

The invention relates to draft rigging for railway cars, and more particularly to that class of draft rigging designed for the underframes of freight cars, my present invention constituting a continuation in part of my copending application filed April 29, 1920, and bearing Serial Number 377,477, now patent No. 1,457,278, dated May 29, 1923.

The principal object of my invention is to provide in combination a backstop and center sill tie casting,and a draft rigging in .which the cou ler is movable rearwardly independently o the yoke in bufling and the buffing loads are transmitted to and carried by said backstop and tie casting.

To this end the main features of the in- *cntion comprise a stop member so constructed and arranged as to suitably brace the cushioning mechanism and connected parts and to transmit excessive loads to the car underframe without detriment to the latter, said stop member including a unitary structure form-ing'a center sill tie casting, and provided with rear stop lugs for the cushioning mechanism, and a reinforced bufiing face for the yoke.

Another feature of my invention" is to provide a combined baokstop and tie casting of maximum strength value for the amount of material used, the reinforcing flanges or webs being advantageously disposed to effectively resist the forces to which the stop lugs and buffing face are subjected.

Various other features and objects of lthe invention are hereinafter brought out in the more detailed description of the particular forms of my invention which have been chosen for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings, wherein l have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention together with modifications thereof,

Figure .l is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of the center or draft sills combined backstop and tie casting connected t0 said sills and positioned -in associated relation with the yoke, coupler and cushioning mechanism.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional 'view of the parts shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view partly in lan and partly in horizontal section of t e backof a freight car showing the" stop member, the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sec` tional view of the backstop casting on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

F igure` 5 is a transverse sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows, a portion of the backstop member being shown in end elevation.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary topplan View of the center ordraft sills and yoke show.- ing a modified forin of combined backstop and tie casting, omitting the rear stop lugs.

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the modified structure shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the center sills, the back stop casting beingshown in end elevation.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the center or draft sills, showing still another modified form of backstop member, the yoke being shown in section and the rear follower of the cushioning mechanism engaging the rear stop lugs provided 30 on the rear stop member.

Figure l() is a. vertical longitudinal sectionalview of the modified structure shown in Figure 9.

Figure l1 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the center sills on the line 11-11 of Figure 9 viewed in the direction of the arrows. l

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, the center or draft sills 1-1 are shown as of built-up channel construction, the forward draft end of said sills being formed of Z-bars riveted to the angle bars and vertical plate constituting the channel center sills, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The end sill 2 has connected there-'with the striking casting 3 and a coupler carry iron, is shown at 4. All of the said parts may be of suitable or desirable construction.

The Z-bars of the draft sills 1-1 are each provided at their forward endswith a longitudinally extending slot 5 inner face of each cheek plate or frontstop casting 6 formed with a slot 7 adapted to register with the said slots 5 in the sills l. The cheek plates and to the bar or sill is riveted av AVAILABLE COPY 6 on their inner faces are each provided with inwardly extending flanges 8- which are cut away, as at 9, to provide clearance ispace for the side faces of the yoke. The

anges 8 also reinforce the forward stop lugs 10 which latter are operatively associated with the forward follower of the cushiming mechanism, 'as shown in Figures 1 an The yoke or coupler connecting means includes the vertical yoke 11 which is provided at its forward end with the headed hood 12, the vertical side walls of which are provided with longitudinally extending key receiving slots 13. The forward portions of these slots are preferably furnished with reinforcing members 14 to increase the bearing at these points for the coupler key 15, and it is to clear these enlargements that the flanges 8 are cut away at the points 9, as hereinbefore described. The key 15 is adapted to slidably connect the coupler 16 to said key when in normal position of the gear, engaging the rear wallof the slot in the coupler, and engaging at its forward edges against the forward ends of the slots 13 in the yoke head, the said key bein also adapted to extend through the slots 7 in the cheek plates and normally position at an intermediate point in the slots. It will be noted that the rear ends of the slots 13 and therear ends of the slots 7 substantially coincide. This construction ermits an inward movement of the coup er independently of the yoke under buling stresses.

The combined backstop and tie casting 17 is arranged between and firmly connected to the center sills so as to deliver all of the buling stresses thereto, said casting also forming the center filler between the outwardly extending portions of the bolster. This backstop member is positioned at a suitable distance in the rear of the forward stop castings so as to provide suilicient space for the interpositioningof the cushioning mechanism indicated by the diagonal dot and dash lines, and includin the front and rear followers, as shown in figures 1 and 2.

Forwardly extending followerl engaging lugs 18 are provided 'on 'the stop member, said lugs forming sentir-.nations of the side walls 19 of the casting and-constituting rear stop lugs for the rear follower of the cushioning mechanism. The lugs are braced by vthe webs or flanges 20 `which project incl parallel distance in ist or f .1 their rear merging intoe lowermos' wardly and have ari with the side walls i9 the rear of said lugs, th' flanges k2G flaring onta-'e ends, asindicata` the side walls,

el with the the yoke l1, the

in the floor of the casting to be presently described. The intermediate central flanges 20 terminate in a vertical transverse web or wall 22, said wall integrally uniting the side walls 19 and being located at a point in the rear of the vertical stop lugs 18 in normal spaced position from the yoke ll, as shown. Arranged between the flanges 20 and bracing the stop lugs 18 vare relatively short triangular webs 23.

A builing face 24 is provided on the web or upright flange 22 and is adapted to receive the bulling stresses through the yoke 11 when the latter moves thereagainst. The web 22 is relatively deep, the forward portion of the side walls 19 and lowermost flanges 20 being offset in a lower plane to permit of the maximum boiling face for the yoke and full bearing faces on the stop lugs 18 with which the rear follower engages. A horizontally disposed bulling web 25 transversely connects the opposite side walls of the casting, said web being intermediately disposed between the top and bottom edges of the vertical iiange or wall 22 and connecting said wall with the center thimble. Additional vertically arranged webs 26 reinforce the vertical wall 22 and extend longitudinally of the casting, said vertical webs being centrally located, and connecting the top and bottom webs 27 and 28.

The top and bottom webs are preferably extended laterally and joined to the side walls 19 so as to form respectively, the up per and lower horizontal walls of the casting., Likewise the transversely extending builing web 25 extends laterally and joins the respective side walls intermediate the 'top and bottom webs. rl`he bottom wall or floor web of the casting terminates at a point well back of the vertical flan e 22, thereby providing for the entry of tzilie connecting rivets and at the same time providing acasting which is easy to manufacture. y

The side walls are slightly odset, as shown in Figure 3 and are further united by means of a transverse web 29, the inner portion of which is interrupted by the center thimble ft), as will be seen by reference to Figures 3 and The vertically disposed webs 26 terminate in the side walls of the thimble, portions thereof extending rearwardly of the casting, as shown. The back-stop casting is connected to the built-up center sills by means ci rivets 3ls said rivets also serving 'to unite the sections constituting the sills. "ihe oil-ect portions of the casting permit the several sections of the center sills to be lon gitudi ll positioned in the continuons rmal position of the parts illus ignre l, it will be seen that thev rear follower engages the forward faces of the stop luf/s i8, and the front follower enthe .tear faces ci the front stop lugs llU l0. Under buliing movement the coupler is moved rearwardly, and transmits the load* to the cushioning mechanism which is in turn supported by the rear follower .and the stop lugs 18.v On forward movement the yo e and coupler move together and the load is transmitted froml the yoke to the cushioning mechanism and from the latter to the front stops connected to the car sills. It frequently happens that the load to which the draft rigging is subjected exceeds the capacity of the cushioning mechanism, and my present Aconstruction is particularly designed to afford eiiicient means for absorbing, without detriment to the car, this excessive overload. ,Should the buliing load exceed the capacity of the cushioning lmechanism, the rear end of the yoke will engage the bufiing tace 24, and the load will be carried at three points, namely the rear stop lugs 18 and` the vertical fiange 22.

Figures 6, 7 and S show a slight modification of the rear stop member and in these Figures the rear end of the yoke-32 is pro-` vided with a plurality of spaced walls 33 which are connected by akplurality of vertically extending webs 34 and the transversely extending web 35, the said structure forming a strong load transmitting mem-V ber which is adapt-ed to normally contact with the abutting face 36 provided on the web 37 of the back stop and tie casting 38. The web 37 in this form of stop member is reinforced by a plurality ot vertically extending webs 39 uniting the top and bottom portions 40 ot the casting. In addition, a centrally located and horizon ally disposed transverse bufiin'g web y41 connects the side walls 42 ot the casting and the vertical web 37 with the center thimble. In this form of my device the entire bufiing load is transmitted directly to tbe centralv portion of the backstop, and rear stop lugs. such as those indicated at 18 and hereinbefore described. are not employed.

In the modified form ot backstop member shown in Figures 9. 10 and ll, the rear end ot the yoke 43 is solid, the said end forming a strong load transmitting member which is adapted norma'lly to be spaced from' the buFfing tace `44 of the web 45. rl`he rear follower 46 of the cushioning mechanism is designed to engage rear stop lugs 4'? jformed integrally with and projecting from the backstop casting 48. The vertical web in the casting 48 isloraced similarly to that shown in Figure 6. Abut in addition` the top and bottom webs 49 of the casting entend forwardly and terminate in the stop lugs 47. These stop lugs are braced bv intermediate webs 5G extending between the `forward portion ot the stop lugs and the transversely extending web 45.

The top and bottom webs 49 are preferably extended laterally end joined tc the side time walls 5l of the casting 48,y so as to form respectively, the upper and lower horizontal walls therefor. Likewise the transversely ex-4 tending buiiing web 52 is continued in elect fowardly of the Vertical flange 45 by the laterallyextending reinforcing flanges 50 which, as shown, merge into the stop faces 47, -as hereinbefore described. It will be evident that these stop lugs 47 are braced at the top and bottom respectively by the extensions of the upper and lower walls 49 of the casting, and at the center by the extensions from the vertical web or lange 45. Intermediate the web 52 and the upper and lower braces I also preferably provide additional braces 53 for the stop lugs 4T. These additional braces extend from the marginal edges of the web 45, as Will be clear from an inspection of Figure l() ot' the drawings. By terminating thebottom wall or floor web of the casting at a point adjacent the iiange or web 45, I provide for the entryA of the connecting rivets between the wall and the web 52, and at the same rovide a casting which is easy to manu acture since the opening between the said wall and the web 52 permits the ready removal of the cores used in the production of the casting. In this modified form ot' myI invention the buiiing load is imparted through the rear follower 46 to the stop lugs 47, and in the case of excessive loads, the

yoke 4.3 is caused to move against the buing face 44 of the web 45.

In the several forms of my device it will be understood that the yoke is supported at an intermediate point by a carry iron 54 which may be connected tothe lower outstanding flanges o the Z-bars in any suitable manner. For`convenience, the carry iron 54 is shown connected by means of a plurality of bolts 55.

`1. In a draft rigging,.the combination with spaced center sills, of a yoke slidably mounted therebetween, a casting interposed between said sills in the rear of said yoke and having follower' engaging lugs, means on said casting for engaging said yoke after a redetermined movement of the same, said yo te beingv normally spaced from said means and being adapted to cont-act the same upon a rearward movement thereof,

means for reinforcing said Iiirst named means including a plurality of vertically disposed webs arranged in alinement with casting having adjacent one end of each` side wall an inwardly extending iiange. said being adapted to form follower stop i so forming web and extensions on said lastnamed web for'bracing said lugs at an intei-mediate point.V

3. In a `draft rigging, the combination with spaced center sills, of a stop member located between and connected-to said sills,

said member comprising side walls adapted to form follower engaging lugs, means for connecting the side walls to the center sills, a vertical web uniting said walls and haviing a buffing face, a bufling web formed integrally with said side walls and adapted to reinforce said vertical web, between the upper and lower edges thereof, said web 4being continued forwardly to-provide reinforcing means for the follower engaging lugs.

4. In a draft rigging g, the combination with spaced center sills. of a stop member located between and connected to said sills, Said member comprising side walls formed with follower engaging lugs, and means including a plurality of vertical webs arranged longitudinally and centrally of the stop member between the lugs and a plurality of horizontal webs arranged transversely of the member for uniting said Aside walls.

5. In a draft rigging.4 the combination with spaced center sills of a stop member located between and connected to said sills, said member comprising side walls adapted to form follower engaging lugs, and means including relatively long vertical webs and an intermediate shorter horizontal web uniting said side walls.

6. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced center sills, of a stop member located between and connected to said sills. said member comprising side walls adapted to form follower engaging lugs, and means including relatively long vertical webs centrally located of the member and a transverse vertical web at the forward ends thereof, said last named vertical web being located in the rear of said follower engaging lugs.

7. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced car sills having draft sills connected thereto, of a combined back stop. tie and center casting located between and connected to said sills` said casing being formed of oppositely disposed side walls each of which is otfct a 1 its forward end for receiving an adjacent draft sill, follower engaging lngs provided ou each offset portion. and a web uniting said walls unl provided with a bufiing face in the rear of said lugs.

8. In a draft rigging. the combination with spaced car sills having draft sills connected thereto, of a combined back stop, tie and center casting located between and connected to said sills, said casting comprising side walls each of which is laterally `.oflset for receiving the inner end of the draft sill between the outer face of tbe wall andan adjacent car sill, follower engaging lugs provided on said offset portions, and a web uniting the offset portions of the side walls and providing a bnfling face -at the rear of said lugs.

9. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced center sills and draft sills, of a combined backstop, tie and center casting located between and connected to said sills, said casting comprising side walls each having its forward portion inwardly offset to accommodate the draft sills and`adapted t0 form at its extreme forward end a follower engaging lug, and a web uniting said walls and provided with a buffing face in the rear of said lugs.

l0. In a draft rigging` the combination with spaced center sills, of a stop member located between and connected to said sills, said member comprising oppositely disposed side walls each of which is vertically offset atits forward end, stop lugs provided on said offset porticns, and a transversely disposed vertical web uniting said offset portions of the side Walls and adapted to form a relatively large buffing face, said web terminating short of the bottom edges of said offset portions.

11. In a draft rigging, the combination with spaced car sills having draft sills connected thereto, of a stop member located between or connected to said sills, said member comprising oppositely disposed s side walls each of which is vertically and laterally offset at its forward end for receiving the inner end of an adjacent draft sill. stop lugs provided on said offset portions` said lugs being of a depth and width corresponding to said offset, and a transversely disposed web uniting said offset portions of the side walls and arranged to form a bufling face.

l2. A stop casting for railway draft rigging involving spaced side walls, each having its forward end inwardly and downwardly otl'set. top and bottom walls uniting said side walls. and a longitudinally extending vertical wall connected to the respective top and bottom walls, and a'transverscly extending vertically disposed wall connected to said vertical wall and side wallsnear their forward ends, said transverse wall forming a butling web` and stop provided at tlu` forward ends of said walls in spaced relation to said bufling lugs side wel).

lil. A stop lasting for railway draft rigging comprising spaced side walls` top and bottom walls uniting said sidewalls, a ver mazen tic-al Wall connected to said top and bottom walls, a transverse wall connected to ,the side walls and adapted to engage a movable element of the draft rigging` and means for reinforcing said last named wall, said means including vertically disposed webs connecting said vertical wall with thetop and bottom walls of the casting, and a horizontally disposed web extending rearwardly from said vertical wall and uniting the said side walls.

14. A stop casting for railway draft rigging comprising spaced side walls, top and bottom walls uniting said side walls, a vertical wall adapted to engage a movable element of the draft rigging, and means for reinforcing said last named wall, said means including a plurality of longitudinally and centrally arranged vertical webs connecting Said vertical wall to the top and bottom walls of the casting.

15. A stop casting for railway draft rigging comprising spaced side Wallsatop and bottom walls uniting said side Walls, a vertical wall adapted to engage a movable element of the draft rigging, and means for reinforcing said last named wall, said means including a plurality of longitudinally arranged vertical webs connecting said vertical wall with the to and bottom walls of the casting, and a horizontal transversely arranged web uniting said vertical Wall with the side Walls, and said longitudinally arranged vertical walls with each other.

16. A stop casting for railway draft rigging comprising spaced side walls, each of said Walls having an inwardly extending portion providing a stop member, top and bottom walls uniting said side Walls, a vertical wall uniting said top and bottom walls, and an intermediate horizontal Web uniting the side walls and the vertical wall, and means including a plurality of ribs for reinforcing the inwardly extending portions of said side Walls.

17. A stop casting for railway draft rigging having a center thimble, spaced side walls7 top and bottoni walls unitin said sidewalls, a vertical wall uniting said top and bottoni walls, and an intermediate horizontal web uniting the side walls and the vertical wall and longtudinally disposed reinforcing ribs arranged above and below said horizontal web adjacent each side wall forwardly of the center thimble.

18. A combined stop casting and body bolster center brace having vertically arranged walls transversely disposed'to provide spaced rear stop members, side walls adjacent eachy vertical transverse wall,- top and bottom walls uniting said side Walls, a longitudinally arranged vertical Wall uniting said top and bottom walls, a horizontal web uniting the side Walls and the longitudinally arranged vertical Wall, and a reinforcing rib uniting the transversely disposed vertical Walls and their adjacent yside Walls.

In testimony whereof I aix m IRA Op si ature.

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